The Royal Renegade
by thenotefromwhichachordisbuilt
Summary: '"I'm not going back to Hyrule, Link. I just can't. After all the death and destruction I've witnessed…to go back to my pampered little life…" She lifted her chin at me. "I can't go back. But I-…" I could see her confidence in her decision waver. "I'm afraid to live alone, Link."' - YES I AM ALIVE. I HAVE RETURNED TO YOU. AU; lengthy oneshot; Enjoy!


I swung my sword, connecting it into the flesh of another Gerudo woman. I had grown accustomed to the way they sounded as they were struck down by my steel sword. I took advantage of the short reprieve of warriors to catch my breath and take a glance at Zelda. Her dress was torn, ripped, and bloodstained. She was breathing heavily, whipping her rapier in one hand and casting magic with the other. I took my attention off of my battle partner as another Gerudo warrior advanced on me. I took her life too. Just when I thought we had finished, another foe stepped into the battle arena we had made of the desert. He held his dark broadsword, gleaming with menace and power. Zelda gave me a weary but determined look and we drew on the strength and presence of one another to turn to our final enemy, the cause of all the misery and death that had plagued the war between the Gerudo and Hyrule for the past seven years – King Ganondorf.

We fought long and hard. I swung my sword with a fierceness I didn't think I had left in my weary bones and Zelda cast magic as if she had all the stamina in the world. It was only after our battle I had realized that the Triforce was feeding her and I throughout our battle. If It hadn't been, Zelda and I would've been slaughtered. We vanquished Ganondorf; his defeat would mark the end of the Great War.

But war was not without a price. Hyrule had suffered greatly as men left their homes to take up arms in the Hyrule military, leaving wives and children to fend for themselves. Hundreds of them would never return. A great deal of money and resources had been siphoned to cover the expenses of warfare, leaving Hyrule's economy suffering as much as her constituents. I, myself, was covered in the deaths of innocent women – their only crime was obeying the iron fist of their leader. I turned my gaze from the blank eyes of the woman laying in front of me to see Zelda, who bore a similar numb look on her face, drag her body to where I sat. I ignored the silent tears streaking her cheeks as she ignored mine. She leaned into my arm and closed her eyes. We sat there for what felt like hours before Epona nervously shuffled her way from her hiding spot to sniff at me and nudge Zelda. Zelda smiled faintly at the mare and sighed.

"Come," she said, weakly pulling on my arm. I obeyed and we climbed on top of Epona and made our way out of the desert. As we exited the Gerudo land, she took hold of the reigns from my hands and directed Epona in the opposite direction of her home, Hyrule's palace. She remained silent despite me questioning her. Getting to know her for the past few years as I have, I learned when she had her mind set on something. I didn't waste any more energy trying to find out what she was doing and sat emotionlessly as she made her way through the land.

We rested that night and tended to our wounds. I had a spare tunic in one of Epona's saddlebags that I changed into to. Zelda changed out of her battle garb and wore a simple gown she had tucked into her small pack. We wordlessly threw our bloodied, stained, and torn clothes into the fire and watched as they caught fire. We fed on rice cakes and smoked meats we had packed for our original journey to battle in silence. We slept and rose the next morning to travel again.

We eventually left the territory of Hyrule and were crossing into the neighboring country when Zelda finally spoke. "I've passed through this land before, once when I was traveling with my father to negotiate a peace treaty with Hyrule's neighboring kingdoms." I remained silent as she explained herself. "I spotted a cottage a distance away from the trail," she said as she turned Epona off the dirt road and up a small hill. A few more minutes of silence passed before she spoke again. "I had always wondered…wondered what it'd be like to not be a princess." I felt myself staring intently at the back of her head as she rounded a giant boulder, revealing a small opening with a quaint and rundown cottage surrounded by dried up fields of crops, a short distance from a small lake. There was no smoke coming from the stone chimney and the property bore every sign of being abandoned for a long period of time. When were relatively close to the entrance of the cottage, she asked me to help her off Epona. Feet planted on the ground, she looked at me shyly for a mere second and then, because she was Zelda, turned defiant. "I'm not going back to Hyrule, Link. I just can't. After all the death and destruction I've witnessed…to go back to my pampered little life…" She closed her eyes as her lips trembled. I reached for her hand and held it gently. She smiled a sad smile before continuing. "I know that if I had gone back to Hyrule, my father would never forgive me for running off into battle with you. He'd insist on me keeping quiet about it as to avoid making it known that the princess is anything less than proper and poised. He'd marry me off to some noble and pompous prince who'd whisk me away to his land and make me miserable for the rest of my life." She lifted her chin at me. "I can't go back. But I-…" I could see her confidence in her decision waver. "I'm afraid to live alone. Link, I realize that by asking you…" she shook her head. "No. I will not ask you to stay with me," she said, apparently changing her mind. "I just ask that you do not reveal my existence to anyone in Hyrule. Tell my father that I was slain in battle. He'd believe it – he felt as if I were some foolish child leaving the way I did." She smiled and squeezed my hand. "If you'd like to rest before you leave…" This time I shook my head. She gave me a puzzled look, which I ignored. I took Epona's reigns into my hand and walked toward the rundown cottage. She protested, insisting that I _would_ return to Hyrule after I had rested to which I replied that I had stood by her side the past five years. I wouldn't abandon her now. If she wanted to run from her life, I could too. Besides her, there was nothing in Hyrule that I felt a loyalty to return to. I ignored the tears that gathered in her eyes, threatening to fall.

We struggled a lot; her more so than I. Being a mere orphan, I was grew up in a small forest village and had learned from the other villagers how to hunt, fish, start fires, how to plant and harvest a crop – all that was necessary for survival. Zelda, having been raised as a princess, was taught law, policy and pose. Those had no rule out here in the wilderness. So I taught her what I knew and she took up learning what she could. She'd attempt to stitch my clothes when they got tore on a branch – the result was functional but not too pretty. She learned by trial and fire – literally – how to cook and prepare the meals I caught for her. She persisted in everything and asked questions when she didn't understand and couldn't figure something out. I watched her fumble and struggle with everything in the beginning…but she didn't have any quit in her. I had asked her every day for several months if she wanted to go back. She would get this stubborn look on her face and answer a short but definite, "no."

After six months I had quit asking her, realizing that if she ever did want to go back she'd make it known. After seven months, I saw the first sparks of true happiness in Zelda. The way her face lit up when she successfully gutted and cooked fish I had brought – without me leaning over her shoulder and instructing her. The way she laughed when her berry jam turned out thick and sweet; her smug smile as I failed to find where she had stitched my shirt when it had torn last week. It wasn't until she pointed it out, that I realized I was happy too. Sometime in the seven months we lived on our own, I had forgotten that I was the Chosen Hero. Forgotten I was one of the few entrusted with the power of the Triforce, destined to yield justice to those who sought to destroy Hyrule and was just Link; a simple man who sought to care for his horse, his home, and the woman he loved.

I wasn't sure when exactly I fell in love with Zelda. It happened slowly, I think. Watching her determination to fend for herself, watching her vulnerable and tentative as she placed a meal in front of me she wasn't too confident in, watching her expressive eyes as she told me another story of her childhood, watching her sleep soundly as I fed the fire in the middle of the night. She filled me with such an indescribable joy that I had trouble containing it. Even though she had abandoned her birthright, she was still, to me, a princess. I was her constituent, destined to serve her. So I remained quiet about the way she made my heart beat faster, my face flush, my smile widen, my head spin and, most embarrassingly, made me ache for a woman in a way I've never had before. It was becoming more and more difficult each day, as I found new things to love about her.

Soon enough, seven months on our own turned into a year. We were preparing our home for the upcoming winter, which was only a few months away. We were much more prepared than we were last winter. We had to live off of meager potions of fish and meat that I had hunted throughout last winter. The only way we survived was by selling some metal from Epona's saddle and the earrings Zelda had been wearing when we left Hyrule to buy hay and grain for Epona and some loaves of bread; it was a hard winter. But Zelda and I worked hard planting, watering, and tending to the dusty fields everyday this past spring and summer and were pleasantly surprised by the bounty our labor had produced. I taught her how to store the fruits, vegetables, and grain to last all winter as I salted and smoked the deer and fish I had hunted throughout the fall. Our entire front room was packed with jars, barrels, and sacks of food. I had enough firewood stacked up next to the fireplace and an even larger store sitting outside the front door. We barely had enough space for the bed, the table and chairs, and small chest of drawers that were left with the house. Geared with whatever food we didn't need to last us the upcoming winter, I had traveled from our isolated cottage to a nearby village, hoping to sell some leftover crop to barter for some goods: a new axe, some metal nails, some cloth for new clothes and maybe even surprise Zelda with glass to replace the boarded up hole that had once been a broken glass window.

In my trek to trade my goods, I met a man whose crop had caught fire and was scrambling to find food for his stockpile for winter. We struck a deal and I walked away with a sack of rupees. I stopped at a small blacksmith shop and bought a new axe and nails. After talking with the blacksmith about the repairs and stable I was hoping to make, he threw in his old hammer into our trade for free. It would suffice better than my rock tied to a stick. Did I mention how Zelda and I had struggled to survive to the past year?

After storing my purchases into Epona's saddlebag, I went in search for a shop that supplied cloth and maybe see about purchasing glass. I went to a shop that sold various goods where I bought a nice iron pan for cooking and a few yards of dark blue cotton for clothes; I knew Zelda loved blue. After inquiring with the shopkeeper, I discovered that no one here made or sold glass panes. Disappointed, I bought some arrows and new string for my bow with what little money I had left.

As I exited to shop and once more deposited my goods into Epona's saddlebag, I noticed a man carrying a hunk of glass. He was a pudgy old man, bald with white, large eyebrows and long, beak-like nose. I patted Epona's muzzle before darting off to intercede the man. I introduced myself and explained my situation. I asked him where he had purchased the glass and for how much. He replied that he didn't know. He had just replaced this window from the small chapel with a colored glass and was taking the old window to sell.

"Why, ye wouldn' like to purchase this ol' window, wud ye?" I regrettably told him I didn't have any money left. "Darn shame, boy. You said you were lookin' to impress yer lady?" I felt a small blush warm my cheeks but nodded my head. He seemed to ponder for a moment. "How good are ye wit a hammer and nails?"

The man, whose name was Kaepora, and I struck up a deal to trade labor for the windowpane. I followed him to his place and helped him rebuild a wall that had rotted and crumbled in his stable. It took us a few hours to complete the job, but by the end of it he had a new sturdy wall and I had a wonderful gift for Zelda.

"Listen boy," Kaepora told me as I wiped sweat off my brow. "I'm real grateful for your help. You can take the windowpane as payment but here." He handed me a small box. I opened and it revealed a small, blue ocarina. "This is a gift. Had you not come along, it woulda taken me days to fix this ol' wall. My arms ain't as strong as they once were. Give that to your lady as well." I smiled at the beautiful trinket and shook the man's hand, thanking him. "Think nothin' of it, boy. You betta get a move on. It'll be dark heuh real soon." I took a look up at the sky and agreed with him.

I rushed back to my horse and took off as soon as I could. I was gone way longer than I had anticipated; I didn't want Zelda to worry. Halfway through my rush home, it started pouring down rain. I covered my head with my hood, but was soaked in a matter of minutes. The cold of the autumn air and coolness of night chilled me significantly, making me push Epona a little faster. As I rounded the hill that would lead me to our cottage, I saw a small light in the distance. I sighed in relief, seeing my home and pushed Epona to get home and out of the rain.

I ran Epona straight to her makeshift stable. It leaned against the house and didn't have a lot of room, but she'd be sheltered from the storm. I quickly unsaddled her and removed her bridle. I didn't worry about tying her off – she wouldn't be going anywhere soon.

"Link!" I turned to see Zelda ducking into Epona's stall. "By heavens, you had me worried!" She brushed her damp hair from her face to glare at me. "What took you so long?!" I handed her the pouch with the cloth, arrows and string and shooed her to the house. I took up the covered windowpane under my arm and tucked the ocarina into my back pocket. I quickly moved to the house as well. Zelda, who had dumped her goods on the table, shut the door behind me. I gently placed the glass onto the table and removed my drenched cloak. Zelda took the garment from my hands and hung it up close to the fire. She whirled on me – looking absolutely beautiful in her nightgown and robe, even if her violet eyes sparked with anger. "Do you know how concerned I was? How long I stood around as I thought of every possible thing that could've gone wrong?" She put her hands on her hips and I couldn't help but smile. I waved her over to the table. As she neared, I uncovered the window. All traces of anger disappeared. "Oh, Link. It's lovely." She touched the glass and looked up at me. I explained that I didn't have enough money to purchase it, so I worked for it instead. She frowned. "You went through all that trouble for me and how do I repay you? By yelling at you that's how." She sighed and closed her eyes. "I'm sorry Link. I was just…worried something awful happened to you is all." I felt my heart rate pick up as I examined her. Standing there in the firelight, drenched and still cold from the autumn rain, I finally decided that I could no longer keep on the mask; the dreaded mask that covered the powerful romanticism I felt for Zelda. Even as I reached for her, I realized what I was doing was probably a bad idea.

I gently touched her chin and her eyes opened. I turned her head to face me and brought her forward, ducking my head down to meet her lips. Instead of being pushing me off, as I half expected her too, she threw her arms around my neck and kissed me back. I slowly wrapped my arms around her waist and brought her closer to me. After parting, she touched my cheek with her hand. I searched her eyes for a few moments, before taking a deep breath and confessing my love for her; how much I loved her, why I loved her, and for how long. Her eyes filled with tears and she smiled. "I have loved you too, Link. For quite some time now." And she leaned forward to kiss me again. I had to pull away shortly thereafter, afraid of what I might do if we continued to kiss and touch. I looked down at her robe and realized that she was soaking wet from being pressed against me. I laughed and removed her robe, doing my best to look anywhere besides her shapely body, and hung her robe up next to my cloak. I noticed a stack of my clothes sitting on the hearth.

"I placed them there when it started raining. I figured you'd be wet and cold and would appreciate some warm clothes," she said. I smiled and thanked her. I picked up the clothes and made my way to the bedroom, closing the door between her and I to change. As I stripped my wet clothes, I could hear Zelda moving in the other room. When I exited the room, wet clothes in my hand, I had noticed that she had a plate of bread and a jar of her berry jam sitting on the table along with a cup of water. She took the clothes from me and draped them over the back of the rocking chair I had made for her before scooting it closer to the fire. She turned around to face me and looked pointedly at the food on the table. "Eat." I did as she said, gladly. After we had cleaned up the food and put away the supplies – and after she admired the blue cotton I had picked out – we sat on the ground by the fireplace. As I moved to throw another couple logs on the fire, I remembered the ocarina in my pocket. I went to rocking chair and pulled the instrument out of my still damp drawers. I showed it to her and explained that it was a gift for her as well. She touched the delicate porcelain and smiled.

"Link, it's beautiful. But I don't know how to play." I returned her smile and brought the instrument to my mouth. I played a few practice notes and she laughed joyously, pleasantly surprised. I grinned back before playing a few songs that I had learned when I was a child. A neighbor girl had given me a wooden ocarina back when I was only seven or so and I taught myself how to play. Zelda smiled brightly as I played for her, songs about the forests, the lakes, the desert and mountains of Hyrule. She smiled and hummed along when she recognized a melody. Watching her, I played a whole new song: a slower and sweeter melody. She closed her eyes and smiled as I let the notes flow from my fingers. When I finished I put the ocarina up on the mantle. Zelda still had her eyes closed when I sat back down. "That was such a lovely song," she said. "So soft and sweet, almost like a lullaby." I smiled and agreed before leaning forward and placing a soft kiss on her forehead. "Link, you must be exhausted. Why don't you take the bed for tonight? I'll sleep on the bedroll tonight."

The bed left behind with the cottage was big enough to fit two people. But for obvious reasons, we didn't both sleep in it at once. We took turns on who got the comfy bed and who got the not-so-comfy bedroll – and only because Zelda insisted. I gave her a look, one she returned with interest. I laughed and shook my head, feeling too tired to argue with her tonight. I kissed her once more and said goodnight before leaving her to find some sleep.

Sometime during the middle of the night, I heard the creaky door push open. I opened my eyes to see Zelda's figure outlined by the fire in the background. I asked why she was awake to which she ignored and simply walked into the room further. "It may be out of place, but…could I…lie with you?" Suddenly more awake, I nodded my head and scooted over to make room for her. She gently lay herself down and shifted until she was comfortable. Then she threw herself at me, placing kisses all over my face and lips. My brain didn't process her sudden movements and I found myself completely surprised, but not repulsed, by her passionate burst. I returned her kisses, holding her lovely body on top of mine. I felt my body react to her touch, her kiss, and her scent. I wanted to touch her back in more passionate ways but stopped myself. I finally pushed her back a bit and she ceased her affections. A beautiful tint colored her cheeks as she stared at me with gorgeous violet eyes and open, rosy lips. "Link, I didn't mean to startle you…I just…" I silenced her with a gentle kiss. I smoothed down her hair and told her I loved her. She smiled and kissed me once more. "I love you too. I have for a long time. Which is why I felt the need to be here with you and the desire to…" she didn't finish her sentence. I kissed her forehead and told her she was still welcome to lay with me, but to resist seducing me. I grinned as she blushed deeply and laughed when she smacked me playfully. I rolled her off of me and kissed her before looking at her sternly. I told her she was to marry me before I would bed her. She agreed hastily.

A few days later, when the first frost began to appear on the ground and the window that I had put up in its place, we traveled to the small village. We rode Epona straight to the chapel, which was slowly filling up with people. We made our way through the crowd and introduced ourselves to the priest there and made known our desire to wed. He told us we'd have to wait until after the sermon. We agreed and sat down on a bench, gripping each other's hand tightly. We listened to the priest, as best as we could in our excited state of mind. After the final prayer, the priest called Link and I to the altar, in front of all of the others. The princess in Zelda emerged as she lifted her chin slightly and regally made her way to the front of the room. I, coming from a more humble background, was more embarrassed to have an audience to our wedding.

I held her hands as we recited our vows to one another. At long last, I was instructed to kiss my bride. My beautiful bride, who wore a simple light pink gown and her golden hair braided atop her head like a crown. As I kissed her and the chapel filled with cheers, I wondered at how amazingly blessed I was to have this woman as my wife.

We consummated our marriage that very night. I held her through the ache of the first time before taking my pleasure in her. As I lay breathless atop her, I tried to sort through the world wind of emotions that made my head spin. I couldn't help but thank the gods that Zelda had made the courageous decision to leave Hyrule all those months ago.

As time passed, my wife and I expanded our homestead. With my new axe, I was able to gather lumber to build Epona a proper stable and a storehouse for all our foods and firewood to store for winter. Zelda, using my old hammer – if you could call it such a thing – fixed up parts of the walls that were crooked and helped me replace rotten logs with new ones. She also went to the forest and gathered moss and covered the inside walls with the plant. I found that it helped hold the heat within the house and she said, with a smug smile, that she has learned that once in a book.

We went about our lives, working hard to provide for ourselves, happy as could be. Another year passed as we farmed, harvested, stored, and traded our crops. We had enough goods to buy candles, books, a new fishing net, and cloth for Zelda to make new bed sheets and a blanket with. I also paid a little extra to buy her yarn and knitting needles. We took care of our land, our horse, our house, and each other.

After working long hard days, we'd settle by the fire – her in her rocking chair and me in the small stool I had made from a stump. I played the ocarina as she knitted with the yarn I had gotten her. We made love every night that we could manage. I found new and amazing ways to pleasure Zelda and she found new and incredible ways to satisfy me. I never seemed to tire of her, nor her to I.

One particularly hot day in the middle of summer, we were tending to the gardens when Zelda fainted. I felt my blood run cold as I rushed to pick up my wife's limp body and carried her to our home. I quickly removed her outer garments and dabbed a rag of cool water from the basin onto her forehead, neck, chest, and arms. When her eyelids fluttered open, I felt tears of relief well up in my eyes. I kissed her harshly before burying my head in her neck. I gripped her arms and told her to never scare me like that ever again. She kissed my temple and mumbled out an apology. She ran a hand through my hair and said "Link?" I lifted my head to look at her face. "I…I think I may be pregnant."

I stopped breathing for a few moments before bursting into a huge grin. I placed a hand on her stomach gently and questioned her as she laughed softly. "I noticed that I hadn't had my monthly in quite some time. I have also been exhausted throughout the entire day lately and have never been hungrier than I am now. I was beginning to suspect I was with child." And we later found out, she was.

I watched, week by week, as she grew bigger and bigger. Her short temper, moodiness, and other various side effects took a toll on us both, but we were indefinitely excited about our child. I had built a cradle and Zelda sewed a little blanket and some clothes out of a red cloth leftover from when she made curtains for our windows. She also made diapers from the white cloth she used to make new sheets for our bed. I traveled to the village to gather some supplies before winter came, as fall was coming to an end. I bought a lantern along with a large jar of lantern oil, I bought medicine for Zelda for when she gave birth, tea leaves, salt and more arrows to catch one last deer for winter.

When I returned home that night, I saw Zelda had fallen sleep in her rocking chair, waiting for me. I fed the fire and heated up my supper that Zelda had set out. I ate as I lovingly watched my very pregnant wife snooze. I woke her as I struggled to carry her and her enlarged stomach to bed.

Winter was approaching quickly and making its wrath known. The cold bit at my fingers through the deerskin gloves I wore as I rushed to pack the last of our stores for winter into the small shed. I stopped by the stable to make sure Epona still had plenty of water and laid out extra hay and grain in case the storm that was approaching carried through until the morning when she'd need to be fed. I petted the mare, who nuzzled me. I smiled at the stall walls that Zelda had covered in moss, as she did our home. Epona would be nice and cozy for the night.

I rushed through the cold to get to the cottage. I quickly made my way to the fire and Zelda handed me a steaming cup of tea, which I thanked her for. I removed my cap and gloves but kept my deerskin coat on for a bit longer. After warming up, I helped Zelda prepare dinner by cooking the bits of fresh deer – the one I had caught earlier today. I had just removed the pan from the fire when there was a knock on the door. Zelda gave me a puzzled look. We rarely had visitors. "Maybe it's someone needing shelter from the storm," she said quietly. I reached for the blade that hung above the mantle – the one I had once carried into battle – and gripped it tightly in my left hand. I walked to the door and cracked it open, hiding my weapon, to see who was at the door.

I recognized the woman at the door immediately – the fiery red hair was unmistakable. She had yet to look at me as she quickly rambled that she was on her way back to Hyrule when the storm started rolling in. She requested to a place for her and her horse to stay until it passed. When she finally looked up to look at me, her eyes widened.

"…Link?" Malon whispered, dumbfounded. Malon was a childhood friend of mine. Her father had raised Epona and given her to me as payment for helping out around his farm when I was a young teen. Malon and I were good friends for years and almost became more…when I left the village to join the Hyrule military. "I-I thought you were _dead_ ," she whispered, tears welling in her eyes. She launched herself into me and I released my sword to hold her shaking body. "You're alive! I can't believe it! When you and the princess never returned, we all thought that the Evil King had succeeded." She looked up, her blue eyes flowing with tears. Behind me, I heard Zelda picked up my sword I had dropped, drawing Malon's attention to her. It took Malon a bit longer to recognize Zelda. Being from a small farm in the outskirts of Hyrule, she wasn't too familiar with the faces of the royal family. But Malon was smart and she caught on. "Princess Zelda?" I looked to see my wife smile sadly, holding the sword in one hand and her belly in the other. Malon had been rendered speechless as she took in the site of the royal princess impregnated by a commoner. I drug Malon into the cottage and placed her at the table. I served a portion of the meal I had prepared in front of her and mumbled that I'd put her horse up for the night.

After moving bales of hay and stores of grain around, I made space in the storage room next to Epona's stall for Malon's horse. I set out food for her horse as well and a bucket of water. I quickly made my way back to the cottage. When I entered, Zelda was sitting across the table from Malon, eating her meal. Zelda smiled at me as I once again removed my coat, gloves, and cap.

"I've been asking Malon about the state of Hyrule." I froze and turned to meet Zelda's gaze. She hadn't so much as mentioned Hyrule since the day we left. "It sounds like Hyrule is doing well. My brother took over once my father had passed and Hyrule has been in a peaceful and prosperous state." Her smiled pinched a bit and I could see the sorrow in her facial expression. She'd mourn her father's loss, but not in front of Malon; a princess never would let others see her weak. I nodded and pulled my stool over to the table to sit beside Zelda and Malon, who had ignored her meal entirely and was staring at me intently. I sighed as I waited for the inevitable interrogation.

"Why? Why did you never return?" Malon asked, her voice wavering. "We waited – _I_ waited for you to come back." She never took her eyes off of me. "I had hoped that once the war was done and over with you'd come back home. Come back…for me." Tears started to fall down her face. "I loved you. So I waited. And when news came that you hadn't returned…I thought the only reason could be because you had died. It took me over a year to come to accept that." I could've spoken then, but I was compelled to remain silent. I noticed that she had completely ignored Zelda the moment I walked in the door. "And to find out you simply left…left everything and everyone behind…"

"It was my fault, Malon," Zelda said in a gentle tone. "I was the one who fled my life and my home. I originally just had Link accompany me here and had full intentions to send him off. But he refused, saying that I'd never survive on my own. If I wanted to remain hidden, he promised to stay with me." Malon finally peeled her eyes off of me to meet Zelda's gaze. "Knowing Link as you do, you wouldn't be surprised if I told you how devoted he was to his job; which he would still say it is to protect the royal family. Nothing I said changed his mind. He's too stubborn," she gave me a pointed look, "and that's saying something coming from me." I felt my lips quirk up in a small grin.

"Was it because you two fell in love?" Malon asked in a quiet voice.

"No," Zelda answered. "No, Malon. That was not my intentions for fleeing. That happened after we had left. After the war…after all I had seen," she turned her soulful gaze to look at me, "after all _we_ had seen and done…I couldn't have gone back. I had changed too much as a person and I was no longer suited to rule. I no longer had any desire too." We remained silent for a while. My stomach growled and Zelda moved to prepare me a plate. I apologized to Malon for the grief I had caused but I told her I couldn't apologize for leaving as I had. I told her Zelda had needed me and I couldn't leave her to fend for herself.

"If she hadn't needed you…would you have come home?" I didn't reply her simply because I didn't know the answer to that. She nodded at my silence, seeming to understand that. I thanked Zelda as she placed a plate of warm food in front of me. I ate it eagerly as Malon spoke up once more. "Will you ever come back?" I paused mid-chew and glanced at Zelda. She had her eyes downcast, staring at the floor.

"If Link ever wanted to return, I'd follow him." Both women looked at me. I busied myself with taking another bite of my food and chewed slowly. "But, Malon, we're happy here. I couldn't imagine leaving this place. We've made it our home over the years. I don't think Hyrule will ever be home to us again." I smiled at my wife and told her I felt the same. Malon looked down at her plate.

"I see," was all she said. We sat and listened to the wind howling outside the walls as snow pelted against the window.

Malon ended up staying through the night, as the storm refused to cease. In the morning, we filled her pack with food and her canteen with water. Zelda gave her a hide of deerskin that I had planned on selling in the spring, saying it'd keep her warm on her journey. I made sure her horse was fed and brushed before saddling him up. As I handed the reigns to Malon, I hugged her and asked her to keep our location a secret from the law. She agreed so long as she could tell her father, Talon. I couldn't refuse her that.

"Please, Malon. Return at any time you wish. You are welcome here," Zelda said. Malon nodded and shivered as a chill wind cut through. I told her to travel safely and get home before she froze to death. She smiled, a faint but authentic smile, as she climbed atop her horse and took off. I helped my wife back into the house.

I woke one night some time after Malon's visit to Zelda gripping my arm harshly and letting out a pained noise. "Link, oh gods, Link!" I shot straight up in bed and brought my arms to her waist. She gritted her teeth and panted a bit. "I think…I think the baby is coming." Panicking, I threw the blanket off of her and I and jumped off the bed. I ran into the other room to grab water and splashed some into a pot to warm in the fire. I grabbed the lantern and the blanket Zelda had sewed some time ago and brought it to the bedroom. I muttered quick prayers to the goddesses as I prepared to help deliver my child.

Zelda labored for a long time. I wasn't sure how long exactly, but little streaks of sunlight entered the room when she finally gave birth to our son. I went and got the warmed water and used it to bathe my son clean. After he was cleaned, I took the blanket Zelda had made for the baby and wrapped him in it before handing him to my wife. She cradled her child close to her chest, as his cries filled the room. I crawled my way onto the bed to look at him as Zelda, sweaty and weary, fed him and eventually cooed him to sleep. I took our son from her hands and sat up in bed, cradling the tiny bundle in my arms. Zelda soon fell asleep as I rocked my son. With my heart so full of love, I feared that if I felt one more thing it would simply burst from my chest.

Four months has passed since the birth of our son, whom we named Hansen. The worst of winter had passed and spring would be arriving shortly, which meant time to prepare to fields for this year's harvest. I lay on the floor with Hansen, playing with him on his tummy as Zelda dressed and brushed her hair. I watched him blow spit bubbles and couldn't contain my laughter as he stared in wonder at the sounds his little mouth made.

"Link," I heard Zelda's voice float from the bedroom. I looked up from our giggling son as she entered the room, braiding her hair. She smiled at Hansen wiggling on the ground and sighed before she met my gaze. "Link. Do…do you think we could visit Hyrule this spring?" Her question took me by complete surprise. I think my answered surprised her more.


End file.
